Alitalia Pilot on Final Approach to JFK Reports He Saw a Drone Aircraft [AUDIO]

A pilot for Alitalia on final approach to New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) said he saw a drone aircraft in close proximity.

The pilot, who was at the controls of Alitalia Flight AZA 60, a Boeing 777, spotted what may have been a drone about four to five miles southeast of the airport at an altitude of 1,500 feet while on final approach to Runway 31 Right at about 1:15 p.m.

‘The pilot is heard telling air traffic controllers on radio calls recorded by the website LiveATC.net, “We saw a drone, a drone aircraft.”

While the exact nature of the aircraft seen near JFK is unclear, the possibility of increased domestic drone use has been in the news recently. The FAA has already granted several hundred permits to universities, police departments and other government agencies to use small, low-flying drones.

Privacy advocates worry that a proliferation of drones will lead to a “surveillance society” in which the movements of Americans are routinely monitored, tracked, recorded and scrutinized by authorities.’

The identity of the aircraft or its whereabouts has not been determined.

Comments

*OMG………Yesterday(3/4/13) for better part of the day……..while I listened to

“Live ATC at JFK……….they were warning the pilots about a ‘Drone’…….or(as they put it) a possible ‘remote control’ type of aircraft……in the area……!!!
It went on for several hours…!!!…and it
did NOT sound as if even the controllers knew anything about
these…….UFO’s of sort!!!!!!!!!!!!!……and I remember thinking…….’jeezus’…..is there going to be a “hit” of some
sort……on someone or something……!!!!!!!!?????????????!…..aren’t ‘drones’…..used because it’s too dangerous for ‘REAL LIVE HUMAN BEINGS’…to be flying……..??????????…at one point….a controller was saying..”this report is about 45 minutes old”…so apparently no updates…..of ‘WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON’…..!!!*

OK, let’s calm down until the facts are in. Just because someone reports seeing a drone does not necessarily infer that said drone is a military one. We have no information as to the size of this drone ort what the pilot meant by “close proximity”. There are a few small varieties available to law enforcement agencies in some areas as well as even some for the general public.